From Egg to Sword
by nagami cabasa
Summary: Link and Navi receive a cucco, which leads to them running around Hyrule trading stuff while encountering all kinds of weird and sometimes even hazardous events! In the end, is it really worth it? The world may never know... R&R!
1. Pocket Cucco

**Disclaimer:** Legend of Zelda doesn't belong to meh! This disclaimer goes for all the other chapters. :)

A/N: I haven't been to this site in the longest time, so I hope nobody has posted a story with the same idea as this recently. Plus I'm too lazy to check. x.X But if there _is _a story, I'd just like to say that I haven't read it and am NOT copying your idea. It was pure coincidence. Plus I wrote this a long time ago and just decided to post it now. :D

Anyway, this fic's based on the annoying yet fun side quest you do in Ocarina of Time. Yay! R+R? Feedback would be awesome!

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+ From Egg to Sword – chap.o1 +

Link was scared.

Very scared.

Extremely, unnecessarily, scared.

"Would you stop shaking?! That poor thing might get brain damage when it hatches!" Navi scolded the "hero." Link jumped at her voice and almost dropped the cucco egg he had received the night before last. The fairy slapped her forehead. "And _you're_ the Hero of Time?"

Link just smiled sheepishly, scratching the back of his head. "Heh, sorry Nav..."

While the Hero of Time wasn't afraid of Moblins, Stalfos or Iron Knuckles (well, maybe a little bit of an Iron Knuckle), he _did_ have a strange, slight phobia of cuccos. Looking at a picture of a cucco made him shudder. Being near a cucco made him have the urge to run and hide. Hey, everyone was scared of _something_, right?

"Remind me why you agreed doing this?" Navi asked, floating mindlessly around the tree they rested at.

"That cucco lady, Anju, right? She asked if we could take care of this new cucco for her," replied Link, smiling nervously at his partner. "She looked so busy; I couldn't say no..."

Navi ceased her flittering and took a seat on Epona's back. The horse, which had her legs folded under her so she could rest, didn't pay any mind to the blue light on her backside. "You know what, Link. Sometimes you're just too nice."

"Or maybe _you're_ too mean!"

She blinked. "... Didn't we have this conversation before and it blew up in our faces?" (A/N: See OoT manga.)

"... Oh yeah."

"... Sorry."

"... Me too."

Epona nibbled on some grass, used to their squabbling. Link sighed tiredly and unfolded his legs to stretch them out some more. The three were in a large, clear part of Hyrule Field, relaxing contently. Putting the egg on his stomach, Link lay back and stared at the clouds floating by. 'Twas almost the high point of noon, the pale purple of early evening skies slowly brightening into a bright blue. He closed his eyes in relaxation.

Suddenly, something began to tremble atop his stomach. Link opened his eyes and looked down to see the egg shaking like mad, cracks beginning to appear. Then the top popped off, revealing a white head with large, black, beady eyes staring right into Link's midnight blue ones.

He screamed.

"AAAAAAAAHHHHH! GET IT OFFF! NAVIIII!" Scrambling up from the floor and yelling while doing so, he ran behind Epona's resting figure and peeked up from behind her. Epona got up and trotted away. Link sweatdropped. And during that entire process, he had knocked the egg off him and it rolled a few feet away, letting the chicken climb out of its place.

Navi and Link did a double take. The chicken was... well, a chicken! Chickens are NOT supposed to be chicken when they hatch! They're supposed to be chicks! Right?

"It's a chicken!" Link yelled, pointing his index finger at it accusingly.

The fairy shrugged. "Well, Anju _did_ say that it was a "special" cucco, right? So..."

"... Yeah..."

"... Pick it up."

The hero shook his head. "No way Nav, YOU pick it up!"

She gave him an exasperated look. "Do you _THINK_ I can pick it up?!"

"... Aww." Gulping, Link stood and tip-toed to the chicken, and after a little hesitation picked it up slowly.

Navi squealed and flitted over to her companion and the animal in his arms. "Look at it Link, isn't it just adorable?" She flew over in front of the chicken and began stroking it with her small hands. "Aww, aren't you just the cutest thing! You're so cute, yes you are! Who's the little cutey? Who's the little cutey? You are! You—" She squeaked in surprise as the chicken opened its mouth and tried to swallow her whole. "Ack! Not cute anymore! Not cute!"

Link sweatdropped. "Err, so what exactly do we do with this thing anyway?"

"I think it'd be a good idea to tell Anju," Navi suggested. "She'll want to know."

"Okey dokey." Link walked over to his faithful steed and lifted a leg up, sticking his foot into one of the stirrups and hoisting himself over Epona's back. With a shout, he grabbed onto some mane and urged Epona to the direction of Kakariko Village.

_x – x – x_

"Oww, stop eating my hair, would you!"

"Oh Link, just let it! You're so fussy— EEK!" Navi shrieked in fear as the cucco tried to eat her again. She glared daggers at it. "Why you. Imma get you one of these days..."

Rolling his eyes, Link continued through Kakariko and scaled the brief stairs, the cucco all the while nibbling on his hat/hair. Eventually he stopped right behind Anju who was watching her cuccos boredly.

Link cleared his throat. "Ahe—"

The cucco interrupted him. "_COCKLE-DOODLE-DOOOOO!_"

"MOMMY!" Anju shrieked, jumping up. "CHICKENS? CHICKENS! AAIIIIEEEE!" She then whirled around and ran right into a shocked-looking Link. Both fell to the ground, Link on his bum with Anju beside him on her stomach. The cucco was resting happily above the Hero's head, this time pecking on his skull.

He snatched it from his head, holding it out to Anju. "HERE, IT'S YOURS!"

Anju blinked, then rolled on her side and propped herself up with her right elbow. She stared at the white animal in his hands. After a moment of contemplating, she answered, "It's not happy."

"You aren't exactly a chipper person either."

"Yes I am!" she said confidently. "You bring it back when it's happy!" She smiled, satisfied with her rather unwitty reply. Anju got up, brushing the grass off her dress and walked away, leaving Link sitting on the floor with the cucco still in his arms. It began pecking at his gauntlets.

Sighing, the hero got up also to brush the dirt and grass off his tunic. He turned to his partner. "Nav?"

She blinked. "Yes?"

"How do you make a chicken happy?"

She blinked again. "Try giving it food."

Shrugging, Link dug into his pockets and withdrew a piece of corn from a previous meal. How a piece of corn sneaked into his pocket was beyond him... but either way, he held it out to the cucco, a bit nervous. "Uh, here. Eat it."

The cucco blinked at the morsel of food.

Then it bit him.

"AAHHH! NAVIIII! GET IT OFFFF!" He ran around in circles, screaming while at the same time waving his arms like a crazy person, the cucco refusing to let go. Link bolted out of the area and into a nearby house, the fairy following close by.

"HELP ME SOMEONE!" He yelled as he entered the house.

Noticing a snoring man laying on the bed, the cucco released Link's finger and happily waddled towards it, leaping up on the mattress. Link, Navi, and the two ladies residing in the house watched quietly.

"_COCKLE-DOODLE-DOOOO!_" The white animal screeched into the man's ear.

"WHAT IN TARNATION!" Link recognized the man as Talon, the lazy father of Malon, whom he had received Epona from. Obviously the yell said everything... Talon sat up abruptly and fell off the bed. The hero rushed towards the man.

"Oh Goddesses Talon, I'm really sorry! I lost control of this cucco and it didn't mean to wake you up like that, I think... um... are you okay?" Groaning, the bearded man got to his feet, mumbling.

"... Who're you?"

Link sweatdropped. "I'm Link, from seven years ago! I used to come into the barn with all those chickens and we'd play that game where I had to get three "special" cuccos from all of them and you'd offer me Malon's hand in marriage but I was too young and refused so instead you gave me a bottle of milk, remember?" He explained in one breath. When he finished, he bent over and sighed heavily.

"... Oh yeah!" He suddenly grabbed Link's shoulders, shaking him roughly. "Link! Do you know what happened to my precious Mal? Is she locked up in a cell with a bunch of schizophrenics? I pray to Din not... they'll feed her shrimp! And knowin' my baby, the poor girl'll break out into hives and be scratchin' at her bottom all week..."

Link ignored that last part and smacked the frantic Talon away. "Look, I managed to rid that ranch of that weird curse Ganondorf put. Malon and Ingo are safe now," he reassured the grown man. The mustached-man drew a sigh of relief. "I also managed to earn Epona. Malon said I could have her; she's like a thanks for saving the ranch."

Talon laughed, patting Link on the back roughly. "I knew you had it in you, kid! Thanks so much! I'm gonna return to the ranch RIGHT _NOW__!_"

"Right _now_? But don't you have some stu—" Before Link could finish his sentence, Talon had already bolted out of the house, screaming a "yee-haw!" and clapping his feet (in the air) while doing so. The green-clothed man watched from the doorway, grinning proudly. He turned to Navi, smiling. "Another good deed done! I feel so good."

"That's what you said when we left the ranch with Epona," Navi said boredly, flying over to the chicken-like animal on the floor. She inspected it. "... Yanno what, I think it's happy."

"Really?" Walking over to his fairy and the animal, he picked it up and stared at its strangely over-happy face. "..."

Flitting over to doorway, Navi urged Link to return the animal back to Anju. Agreeing, the two headed out of the house and towards the cucco pen.

The two ladies that resided in the house blinked, and then looked at each other. "... That sure was strange." The lady in red scratched her head.

Shrugging, the other lady in blue sighed. "That cucco reminded me _so_ much of my dear Richard...!"

The red-clad lady inched away.

_x – x – x_

Running up the stairs, Link paused in front of the cucco pen and Anju, who, once again, had her back facing towards him. Link put a hand on Anju's shoulder.

"EEK!" She screamed, suddenly grabbing Link's hand. With a bizarre, Chinese-like cry, she flipped the hero right over her head and he landed with a hard **THUD!** on the ground in front of her. She got into a battle stance, one foot in front of the other, knees bent slightly, with her right palm outwards and the left hand withdrawn and closed into a fist.

"HooooOOOooaaaAAAHHHhhhhHHH!" Her eyes were closed as she rolled her head around in a strange manner.

Link stared up at her, horrified.

Finally opening her eyes, Anju saw whom exactly she flipped. Gasping, the cucco lady got out of her "stance" and put both hands over her mouth. "Oh my! Link!"

"... How's it goin'," he grumbled.

"Oh dear, let me help you up!" The red-haired woman ran over and grabbed Link's left arm, helping him to his feet. "Please forgive me, I didn't mean to!"

"Eh, it's okay, things like that happen."

Anju sweatdropped. "I'm sorry again. Anyway, what brings you back here?"

"Well, I've managed to make your cucco happy!" He said proudly, pointing behind her. Anju turned around and saw her little cucco standing near the pen, that strange, freaky grin still on its small face.

"Aww!" Squealing, Anju took the cucco into her arms, hugging it 'til it turned a strange shade of blue.

"Err, Anju?" Link tapped the girl on the shoulder. "Anju!" She didn't respond, still hugging her cucco to death. Link stared at the poor creature. "... ANJU! YOU'RE KILLING YOUR CHICKEN!"

"OH NOOO!"

Link sweatdropped for the God-knows-how-many time in this story. "So the cucco is happy! Do I get an award? " Though the hero seemed like a greedy (beep) right now, he really wasn't; he just wanted to know if there was any reward.

And, in fact, there was. "Yep! Here you go!" She reached into the cucco pen and withdrew something the color of the sky...

"ANOTHER CUCCO?!"

Anju nodded happily and handed it to Link. He took it silently. "Yes! His name is Cojiro. He used to belong to my long lost brother in which I have no idea what happened to him." She paused, looking down at the floor with a pained expression.

Link lifted a hand. "Um—"

"Please take care of him, okay? I'm counting on you!" She turned around and began to tend to her animals.

He blinked. "... But... I... cuccos..."

Navi began to laugh.

Link just stood there with a crestfallen expression on his face, staring down at the azure animal, which was gazing back at him with those large, black, beady eyes. "Oi..."

**+ tBc . . . +**

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- naGami c.


	2. Cojiro

A/N: (singing) Shalalalala! (clapclapclap!) Shalala in the morniiiing... oh, what? (stares at reader) O.o WHOA! THERE'S ACTUALLY A READER? HOW AWESOME! (feels loved) ;P

To Selphie Louise: Oh yeah, I know she's not Anju. I just wanted to give her a name. I'm probably going to do that with a lot of people here (maybe O.o) cuz it's going to get repetitive if I keep calling them "the creepy guy" or "the old lady", you know. MM names ftw! :D;;

Anyway, thank you so much to everyone who reviewed! I really appreciate your comments. :)

_Note:_ Every chapter won't have the same length; it'll depend on what I decide to happen when it comes to that certain object Link and Navi are trading. So, if I have a really good idea for one item the chapter could be really long, and if I'm just totally blank on another (or if it has a time limit; I wouldn't have time for an idea then, hehe...), that item's chapter will obviously be shorter and not as exciting. Just fyi!

Okies, here we go. :DV!

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+ From Egg to Sword – chap.o2 +

Link didn't like it.

Not one bit.

Those eyes were freaking the heck out of him; the deep, bottomless darkness, the diminutive form, the way the sun reflected right off the corner, making it appear as if the cucco had a suspicious, evil glint in its eyes...

While Link was distracted by the blue animal, Anju had gone back to talking to Navi. "... Yes, he used to belong to my brother, and only nice people can tame him!"

"Really—" Suddenly the sound of a certain blond screaming made Navi whirl around to glance at her partner. Link was currently running away screaming while the cucco pecked repeatedly on the back of his head.

She sweatdropped before turning to Anju, who was, as usual, oblivious to everything. "Nice people, huh?"

Link wasn't the type to be unkind at all. Maybe weird, but in general he always had people's best interests in mind. In fact, he was probably _the_ nicest person she'd ever met. And... well, maybe the most stupid, in Navi's honest, teasing opinion. Frankly the number of words to describe someone like Link was unfathomable...

"Your brother..." Navi started, "he must have been a _very_ pleasant man."

"Oh, yes... in fact, he was probably _the_ nicest person I've ever met!" she sighed as she looked up at the sky, memories flooding back to her.

Link ran past behind her, screaming his head off through a whirl of blue feathers.

Anju looked up suddenly. "It's strange... since my brother left, Cojiro stopped crowing."

"INteresting..." Navi droned. "Yeah well, we're off. Thanks for the cucco. I guess." She turned around and began flittering away. "Come hither, Link!" she yelled over her shoulder.

"COMING— OWW! WHY YOU— AAHHHHHH!" the Hero shrieked and bolted past Navi out of Kakariko Village. The fairy followed, dragging a hand down her face.

_x – x – x_

Later, in Hyrule Field...

"Eww Link, don't poke it."

"But it just looks so _cool_..."

"... EWW."

"Here Nav, try for yourself!"

"EW, GET AWAY FROM ME!" Navi screeched, fluttering off in disgust as Link held up his arm to her face level. He frowned, lowering it and then stared at his scab.

"Now it's oozing some yellow water-y stuff—"

"LINK!"

"Yes?"

"Please. Shut _up_."

"But if you would just take a look at it—"

"NO I AM NOT IN ANY WAY GOING TO LOOK AT YOUR ICKY SCAB FOR DIN'S SAKE KEEP THAT AWAY FROM ME AND STOP TOUCHING IT OR ELSE IT'LL GET WORSE!" she screamed from a distance.

Link rolled his eyes. Navi was so girly. Oh, girls... "Fine. You KJ."

"Don't think I don't know what KJ means, you punk..."

The mare from beneath our hero huffed. Those two were at it _again_... at least the cucco wasn't doing anything annoying. Actually Cojiro had been oddly silent since their leave from Kakariko. Every time Epona glanced at it, it would stare back with those haunting eyes, tilt its head, and then continue staring. Epona heaved a slightly freaked out whinny before looking back ahead.

The blond looked down at her. "What's up, girl?" She shook her mare. Link shrugged. "Okay..." He paused in his talk, glancing briefly at his guardian. "Where are we going again?"

"Kokiri Forest, to go get some herbs for your disgusting scab."

"Jeez, I was just trying to help out that little kid... why he was in the middle of Hyrule Field at two in the morning is beyond me, but..."

"Link, I'm not blaming you for anything, if at all I'm blaming you for your cruddy dodging. You could've dodged that poe a lot better than you did." Navi said firmly, raising an eyebrow at him.

The blond pouted. "But, it was two in the morning!"

"... Okay look, just, do me a big favor and stop picking your scab. Please."

Link sighed, lifting his arm to glance at it. "It's a _scab_, it won't bleed anymore..."

"If you keep picking at it, it will!" she snapped back impatiently.

"Why do you care if it bleeds?"

"Because, one, I'm your guardian and I'm _supposed_ to care, and two, I don't want to see it bleed cuz it's sickening and for Din's sake Link, _STOP PICKING IT_!"

Link hid an evil grin as he drew his other hand away. Navi narrowed her eyes at him. "You're doing this on purpose to annoy me, aren't you..." He shrugged, giving her a tiny smirk from under his bangs. "Imma get you one of these days..."

They continued on in silence.

"... GODDESSES LINK, IF I HAVE TO CUT OFF YOUR OTHER HAND I _WILL__!_"

_x – x – x_

"Looks like my hand is still in place, hmm?"

"Not for long..."

"What?"

"Nothing. I didn't say anything," Navi murmured, looking away. She glanced back in his arms. "Why did you bring Cojiro?"

"Who knows, we might find someone who can take care of him here." The hero continued through the woods, greeting old friends as he made his way to the shop. He entered, waving at the shopkeeper happily. "Hiya, Fred!"

"Liiiiiink, ol' buddy, ol' pal! How ya doin' these days?" said a small person from behind the counter. He walked over, grabbed a tall stool, climbed onto it and stared at the Hylian face-to-face. He looked down at the blue animal. "What's that?"

"A cucco. You want it?"

"... No."

"Aww."

"Anyway, what's the need for going all the way to Kokiri Forest now?"

"This," Link held out his free arm and Navi turned around to stare out the entrance.

Fred squinted his eyes in half disgust, half interest. "Ooh. That... doesn't look good. I'll be right back."

Link nodded as Fred hopped off the stool and went into the backroom. As soon as he went in, he came back out with a piece of paper. He climbed back on the stool, holding out the paper which had some scribbles on it. Link blinked at it. "What's..."

"Sorry bud, but we ran out of herbs. I have here, though, a map that can show you where you can get them from the Lost Woods."

Link nodded his thanks before taking the paper and leaving the shop with Navi following silently.

In the lost woods, he drew out the map and scanned it quickly. Navi glanced over his shoulder. "Left, right, left, left, straight, right, straight... do a funky dance...? ... Then left?"

"... Do a funky dance?"

"... I guess."

"... Okay... well if it says to do it, then I probably should. C'mon."

Left, right, left, left, straight, right, straight, a funky dance and a left later...

"That was one _funky_ dance."

"Thank you."

"That wasn't a compliment."

"Oh." Link walked forward, staring at the field of wonderfully scented herbs and flowers. Cojiro didn't stir.

"It smells so heavenly here!" Navi squealed before stopping to sniff at a flower. Link walked passed her, looking for the plant drawn on the sheet. "How come we never came by here before?"

"Who knows..." Link bent down, looking at a certain herb before snatching it up in his hands. "Found it!" Using a little magic, he transformed it into a slightly gooey substance and used one hand to pour it into an empty bottle. (How, you ask? Who knows. Link is just... magical, I suppose. ... Transforming the herb, that is, not pouring it into a bottle. Come on. Anyone can do that.) He poured a small amount onto his palm before stuffing the bottle into his dimensional pocket. Link began wiping it on the scab as they exited the field, paying special attention to rub it in very thoroughly.

"How's it feel?"

"Stings a bit, actually—" he stopped suddenly as he looked around, standing in the middle of four entrances. "... Wait... where do we go?"

Navi looked around, and then face faulted as she realized Link hadn't been paying attention while walking. "Ignoramus!" she cried, "Now we're lost..."

"Calm down, if we just go through a random door it'll most likely take us to the entrance." The blond turned left, coming upon another room with four holes in the wall. "... Let's just keep going."

"... Fine..."

Five minutes later...

"WHERE IN DIN'S NAME IS THE FRIGGIN' ENTRANCE!"

Five more minutes later...

"Move over, fairy boy, let the guardian lead!"

Five _more _minutes later...

"We're not getting anywhere..."

"... Well, I guess they didn't call this the Lost Woods for nothing!"

"Shut up, Link. Just... shut up."

Even mooore later...

This was getting hopeless! How long had the two been in there, half an hour? A little more? Link grumbled in irritation and Navi mumbled a string of curses under her breath as they continued on through endless pathways.

"Gah! We're never going to get anywhere!" Navi sobbed, turning around completely and flying off through a random hole in the wall.

Link stared after her. Wow. That was so... random. There wasn't even any monologue before it to lead her into running away in the first place... but either way, Link had to catch up before something ate her. "W-Wait Navi! Hold up!" he called, running after her.

He entered upon a familiar setting; a very dark, small clearing with two stumps. One was short enough to climb and another was longer, as if only the main branches of the tree were cut off. Sunlight shone on both of them... something was suspicious about the taller stump. Was that... somebody sitting against it?

Link looked up suddenly as he saw a bright ball of blue light coming towards him. "LINK!"

"Navi!" Link squee-ed happily, crushing his fairy into an embrace. "I thought you left me! I'm so glad you decided to come back!"

She completely ignored that, squeezing out of his grip. "Link, there's some creepy guy sitting by the stump and it's freaking me out. I think we met him somewhere before..."

Blinking, Link freed his friend and cautiously approached the boy, clearing his throat to catch his attention. His head was lowered, deep asleep. He was a thin boy, shirtless, bones visible through pale skin. All he had on were two black bands on his wrists, green pants and black shoes. And my Lord, was he creepy...

Link chewed on his lip for a while, gazing intently at the other boy. Why did it seem as if he'd met him before...?

_- flashback -_

_"... Disgusting."_

_"... E... excuse me?"_

_"Everything. It's disgusting."_

_A young 12-year-old Link stared at the other man in confusion. "Everything is disgusting? Why?"_

_"Because. It just is."_

_Link only stood there, trying hard to figure out the man's logic in his tiny head. Navi was trying to urge him to leave however, saying how the man was talking nonsense and it didn't have anything to do with Link's quest in saving Hyrule. Seriously, it didn't. But Link was intrigued anyway._

_"The food here is disgusting. The beds are disgusting, the chairs, the tables, the houses... the people are the most disgusting of all. My own father and mother are disgusting."_

_"But... why?"_

_"You must be disgusting, too!"_

_The blond found it odd how he said that last sentence with such glee. Finally the insult sank in and Link gasped, narrowing eyes at the offender. "Hey! Well, so are y—"_

_"I know. I'm disgusting too. I get that a lot."_

_"..."_

_"If you'd mind, I'd like to be on my own here, wallowing in my solitude, reflecting on how... _utterly **disgusting**_... everything is."_

_Link stared at him, open-mouthed and with a clear, 'wtf?' look before being dragged off by Navi to his next destination..._

_- end flashback -_

"Navi!" Link whispered harshly, looking at his fairy. "He's the disgusting guy!"

"... Oh, _that_ nonsense guy..." she flitted over in front of his face. "Is he asleep?"

"I think..."

The blue cucco decided to wake up at that moment. Its black beady eyes glanced at the pale boy, and all of a sudden, Cojiro decided to crow, the shrill tone echoing universally throughout the woods. Link squinted in slight pain and Navi jumped. "What!" she yelled. "What's wrong!"

The pale boy opened his eyes at the sound, and he looked up at the animal. Gasping, he stretched his arms toward Link, mouth hanging open and head tilted as he reached. "C-Cojiro!"

Cojiro crowed again, hopping out of Link's arms and then into the hands of his beloved owner. "Oh, Cojiro! We are reunited at last..." he looked up at Link suspiciously. "But... why... normally only a nice guy like me can tame you..." he whispered.

Link and Navi slowly backed away. "Umm..."

"You!" the pale boy yelled, head snapping up at Link. Link stared back at him in fright. "If you can tame Cojiro, you must be a nice guy! Mr. Nice Guy!"

Navi began laughing. Link swatted at her, then smiled at the watery-skinned boy softly. "Yeah, I guess I'm pretty nice..."

"If you're so nice, would you be as kind to deliver something for me?"

"What? But I—"

"This will disappear if you take too long, so you've really gotta hurry!"

Link looked at Navi, whispering softly, "What should I do?"

"I don't know, I'm not sure if we have time to deliver something for him..."

Biting his lip, Link looked at the pale-colored boy again and replied, "I'm sorry, but I can't."

His arms lowered immediately, head straightening and glaring at Link with a disturbing face. "You aren't a nice guy at all! Get away from me, you jerk!" Then his head lowered immediately.

Link gasped. "Hey! I'm not a jerk!"

The creepy guy looked up at him. "Then _prove it_."

Navi narrowed her eyes at the blond. "Don't do it, Link, no..."

"... Fine, I'll do it."

"Link!" Navi yelled. She smacked her forehead repeatedly.

"All right! You really _are_ nice!"

"Aww, well thank y—" he was cut off as a small bag was thrown at his face. "What's this?"

"Some weird mushroom. Deliver this stuff to the old hag in the potion shop in Kakariko Village! Now hurry up and leave me alone!"

Link nodded dutifully, turning around to run back outside Kokiri Forest and to Epona.

Navi sighed heavily as she followed the Hylian. Sometimes having the nicest guy in Hyrule as a friend was such a pain in the butt...

**+ tBc . . . +**

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- naGami c.


	3. Odd Mushroom

A/N: (after a year (prolly more)) What's up everyone. :D

I've decided to resume work on both this and _We're in Termina, baka!_ because I've been inspired, teehee. You guys should check out and review WITb! I worked really hard on the fifth chapter! (end of shameless advertising)

This chapter initially had two items being traded but I decided to separate them so the chapter titles won't be weird, ahahaha. I already wrote the next one, so I'll be updating soon, maybe in a week or two.

Please review! I'd really appreciate it! Okay enjoy. xD

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+ From Egg to Sword – chap.o3 +

Link was cheerful.

... As usual.

"Da da da, da da da, da da da da da! Da da da, da da da, da da da da da! Da da da, da da da, da da da da da! Da da DAAAAAAA da da da da da!"

Navi flittered along silently as Link ran ahead of her, "da"-ing the infamous western tune that was used in abundance in western movies. (How did he even know that tune?) And Link wasn't even on the horse yet. Actually they weren't even out of the Lost Woods; the two were still trying to find a way out...

But eventually after a while the hero found the exit.

The sky was dark by the time the two had left Kokiri Forest. There by the entrance was Link's faithful steed, picking at the grass. Link stuffed the little bag from the creepy guy into his pocket and mounted his horse, yelling a "hi-ya!" and through the field they galloped.

"Link," called Navi as they continued forward. "You know this might be a whole cycle; you receiving stuff, then giving stuff to others _for_ them, and then it repeats again forever and ever..."

"Naw Navi, it's not like that!" he said, free from worry. "Once this little mushroom thing's out of my hands, we'll get back to our quest!"

A sigh. "Whatever you say..."

They continued on. But then out of nowhere, Epona came to an abrupt stop and reared. "Whoa, girl!" Link yelled, trying to gain control. It wasn't until a group of four poes emerged from the ground did Link understand why Epona halted. The poes surrounded them on all sides and the steed pranced in her spot, hoofs ready, teeth bared, and ears back.

"Good evening, hero," spoke the one directly in front of them.

"What do you want?" Link said, taking out his bow and arrow. No need to be formal...

"No, hero, we do not wish to fight!" said another to his left. "We would like to ask a favor."

"Sorry, can't. I literally don't have time right now to do a favor because one, I'm already doing one for somebody else and two, you guys are evil," he reasoned, nodding as-a-matter-of-factly.

Navi sweatdropped. "Jeez Link, just shoot them already!"

"All we want from you is that mushroom that disgusting boy from the forest gave you," yet another said. "Just give it to us and we shall depart."

"Disgusting?" Link asked. "Oh, he called you disgusting too?"

The poe nodded wildly. "You can bet your Hylian ears he did! And the nerve of him, too, calling the most beautiful of us four brothers _disgusting! _I ought to..."

"All right brother, calm down. Please," another said, going to him and patting him on the back. Suddenly the poe broke out into a sob, crying into the comfort of his brother's shoulder.

Navi and Link stared. Navi raised an eyebrow. "Uh. Okay..."

"Anyway, we gotta go, so if you'll excuse us..." Link commanded Epona forward but was stopped as one poe went in front of him.

It pointed to the pouch on Link's belt. "The mushroom, lad! Give it to us!"

Link sighed. "I told you, I can't! I'm supposed to deliver it to somebody!"

"Hah! Has the Hero of Time suddenly become a delivery boy?" laughed the final one. Growling, Link held up his bow, firing an ice arrow at the one who made that comment. The poe screeched like a little girl, barely missing the arrow by a few inches. "For Din's sake, I was joking! Now give us the mushroom."

"Nevaaar!"

"... AFTER HIM!"

Yelping, Link jumped off Epona as all four ghosts raced his direction. The poes ended up bonking heads with each other, falling onto Epona's back, who reared them off. Link jumped back on his mare and urged her forward with a yell, galloping towards Kakariko Village.

"YOU SHALL PAY!" he heard one of them yell from a distance behind him.

They reached the staircase that lead to Kakariko and Link jumped off, patting Epona for a job well done.

"Hey, Navi?" Link asked as they climbed the stairs.

Navi glanced at him. "Yes?"

"Do you think I'm a delivery boy?"

Navi fell back a little in surprise at the question, then quickly caught up to Link's fast pace. "Oh Link, don't let what that stupid poe said get to you! He's an idiot! And his brother's an over-sensitive idiot!"

"Yeah I noticed that... anyway you didn't answer my question."

"Oh right. No, Link. As long as you do these favors from the kindness of your own heart, nobody has any right to call you a delivery boy." Navi said reassuringly. She paused. Wow. That was rather corny. She shuddered and slapped herself.

Link didn't notice, and he probably didn't find that corny either since he smiled at her gratefully. "Aww, thanks, Nav!"

"Yeah yeah, no prob. Now hurry up and deliver that mushroom."

"... Deliver?"

"I mean... transport. Yeah. _Transport._ Not deliver."

"..."

_x – x – x_

Link and Navi stared at the man.

The man stared back at them.

Cue the awkward silence.

"Sooo... do... you need help... or something?" the man behind the counter finally asked, raising an eyebrow.

"... Uh, kinda... this is the potion shop, right?" Navi inquired.

"Yeah."

She blinked. Link tilted his head. So, this was the potion shop? They looked around... yep, definitely a potion shop, as confirmed by the bottles with colored liquid inside the glass cases. But that was the thing; there was only a _man_ in the potion shop. The disgusting dude said there'd be an old lady.

"Hey, do you happen to know an old lady?" Link asked, still looking around for any signs of her.

"Plenty, which one?"

All the old ladies looked the same nowadays. Let's see, one trait that could be picked out... could be... "... One that works in a potion shop in this village?"

"... _Oh. _You mean _that _old hag," potion-shop man muttered in a tone drenched with hatred. He eyed Link sharply before continuing, "Her potion shop is behind mine; go through that little hallway to your left past the counter."

"Ah, great! Thank you!" Link said happily, heading towards the entranceway.

"BUT DON'T BUY ANYTHING FROM HER!" the man suddenly barked. Link yelped like a little girl and clutched to the wall. "That witch has been my rival for _years_ now! She's a mean old hag and has no manners or politeness or anything."

"Haha, um, I just need to drop something off," laughed Link sheepishly, eyeing him. "I won't buy anything from her."

The man's eyes narrowed. "... You _better _not."

Navi shoved Link through the hallway before the man could say any more.

_x – x – x_

"It's rainiiiiiing!" Link whined as they exited out the back door. Indeed it _was _raining, and pretty hard, but Navi ignored his wails as he climbed down the ladder.

Suddenly Link's hand slipped and he fell, screaming as he went, landing in a wet, muddy heap on the floor.

Navi burst out laughing. Link muttered a curse as he got back up and then climbed the staircase leading up to the second building.

_x – x – x_

"Ack! Get your filthy self out of my shop!"

Link squinted his eyes at the voice. Wow, this woman probably had the most piercing old lady voice he'd ever heard! "Look lady, I just need to give you something and then I'll leave—"

"No! I want you out right _now!_ You're leaving muck and disgusting outside substances on my newly cleaned carpets!" she screeched at him, poking him with a broom.

"Gah, whatever, here's your stupid mushroom!" Link yelled, throwing the bag at the lady's face. He was just about to stomp out until the lady said...

"That bum! He just _had _to go into the forest..."

Link turned around. "Hey, that's not nice, calling that guy a bum," he said in the disgusting dude's defense. After all, Link _was_ a nice guy.

"I don't care. He's my son."

"Whoa, really?!" Link gaped. Well there _was_ a resemblance... sort of...

"Yeah, really! But you, even though you are filthy..." She bent over the counter and stood back up with a towel in her hands. The hag threw it at Link. "Wait there for a moment." She disappeared into the backroom.

"I bet she's going to give you something." Navi mumbled, sighing in exasperation.

"That's okay," Link said, cleaning himself with the towel. "This back and forth thing is sort of fun..."

Navi rolled her eyes. Not long did the lady come out from the back and she handed Link a pouch. "Here. If you see that fool again, give this to him. It's the strongest medicine I've ever made. It will not work on a monster, however."

"If I may ask, what's it for?" The lady eyed him suspiciously. Link shuddered at the freaky stare. "Uh... never mind, I don't really have to know."

"There is no medicine to cure a fool, you know."

"... Oh. I'll just be... going now," he said, inching towards the door.

"WAIT! I have the ultimate potion! Would you like to buy from me?" she suddenly questioned, leaning forward on the counter and petting her cat (which had jumped up on the table), one eye squinted and the other eye wide open staring at him.

Link remembered what the man at the other potion shop said... but... the ultimate potion? It sounded so _tempting!_ ... Wait no; he can't turn back on his word! ... Then _again, _he didn't promise that man anything. ... Ohh, but he was _scary_...

Sweatdropping, Link shook his head and said, "Ah, um, no thank you—"

"IT WAS THAT MAN, WASN'T IT!" she screeched, banging her fist on the table. "HE ALWAYS TELLS PEOPLE NOT TO BUY STUFF FROM ME! IT'S BEEN THAT WAY FOR _YEARS!_ THAT'S WHY HIS SHOP IS OUT IN THE OPEN WHILE MINE IS STUCK HERE IN THE BACK WHERE NOBODY CAN SEE IT AND KNOWS IT EXISTS! WHY DOES HE TORTURE ME SO?! WHY, GODDESSES! TELL ME WHY!"

Link ran out of the potion shop before the lady could throw her cat at him.

**+ tBc . . . +**

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- naGami c.


	4. Odd Potion

A/N:... I have _no_ idea where the ending came from. Wahahaha. Oh my gosh. I don't know. xD

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+ From Egg to Sword – chap.o4 +

Link was curious.

About the pouch, that is.

What exactly was in it? Why was the old lady acting like a stick was up her butt over it? Was it some kind of miracle potion or something? Or maybe it was some peanuts. Link _was_ kind of getting hungry.

But it couldn't be peanuts, because when he had started poking the pouch, it felt grainy, as if sand was in it. By this time, the two were back in the Lost Woods, walking the route back to where they saw the disgusting guy.

Navi eyed her partner as he continued poking. "Be careful with that," she warned. "You don't know what it does."

"Jeez, lighten up! You should stop worrying about me and worry more about _yourself_," he advised, opening the small bag.

"Link! What are you doing!? Didn't you hear what I said?!" Navi yelled in panic.

Link poked a finger in the pouch. "Calm down Nav! Nothing's gonna happe—" he suddenly yelped, screaming and thrashing around insanely, falling to the floor. "AAAHHHHH! AAAAHHHHHHHHHHH! SOMETHING'S IN HERE! NAVIIIIIIII!"

Navi screamed in fright, hovering over him, with absolutely no idea what to do. Hey, what _could_ she do other than provide information and squeak and bonk things... but her bonking abilities would prove useless at the moment. "OH MY GODDESSES! WHAT DO I DO?! DIN HELP US! I'M HELPLESS! SOMEBODY HELP!"

All of a sudden Link stopped thrashing and his screaming turned into violent fits of laughter. He withdrew his finger from the pouch and laughed insanely, pointing at Navi.

She stared at him deadpan. "..."

_x – x – x_

The fairy chuckled as they came out of the hole in the ground, sighing in satisfaction. Link followed her as they walked along, clothes ripped, bruises and scratches adorning his already dirty self.

"... You didn't have to shove that Wolfos at me..."

"Hey, you deserved it." she grinned as they continued to walk along. Eventually they came upon the clearing where that disgusting guy was before, but noticed that sitting in his place was a little pig-tailed blond girl.

"Who are you?" Link asked (bluntly) as they approached her.

She looked up at him. Obviously she was a Kokiri. "My name is Fado."

"Oh, hi Fado! Hey, do you happen to know where that disgusting guy went?"

"Away."

"Away?"

"Yeah."

"Where?"

"Who knows? He probably turned into a stalfos. Dontcha know? If somebody stays in the Lost Woods too long they turn into stalfos. Everyone, stalfos."

Link gasped, turning to his fairy. "Oh my Goddesses! Navi! Did you hear that!? If we're here too long we're going to turn into stalfos!"

Of course Navi ignored him, turning to Fado. "Um, do you know where he went? Cuz we got this potion thing from his mom over at Kakariko Village..."

She raised an eyebrow. "Potion?"

Link was still hyperventilating. He started waving his arms insanely. "Naviiiii! I don't want to turn into a stalfos! Didn't you hear the story of that stalfos that nobody liked so they hung him upside down and tickled his toes 'til he couldn't take it no' mo'?!"

"No."

The hero blinked, tilting his head in confusion. "Really? That's weird. It's a popular story in Kokiri Forest, you should know at least some of it—"

"HELLO, HELLO, DON'T IGNORE ME!" Fado shrieked, attracting Link and Navi's attention. "Yes. What was that about a potion?"

"Oh!" Link reached into his pocket, taking out the pouch the old hag gave him. "This—"

All of a sudden she gasped, snatching the pouch away from him. "This... THIS! This, this! It's this!"

"What's this?"

"What's what?"

"That."

"What's that?"

"What's what?"

"What you said."

"What'd I say?"

"About this."

"This?"

"Yeah, this."

Navi bonked them both. "SHADDAP!"

Link's eye twitched at her. "Stop hurting me!"

"Well it's kind of hard to resist when you're being a complete idiot—"

"_This _is made of forest shrooms!" Fado gasped, poking the pouch a bit. "How in the world did it get out? This belongs in the forest! You simply _must _let me have it."

Link bit his lip. But he had a duty to give it to the disgusting guy... he couldn't just go back on his word! He wasn't that type of person! No, no, not at all. "I'm sorry, but I can't," he explained. "That guy's mom wants me to give it to him."

"What if I give it to him for you?"

"But you said you didn't know where he went."

Fado laughed nervously. "Tch, when did I say that?"

"A few seconds ago."

"Just let me have it! That guy probably won't show up again anytime soon."

"... But..."

In a split second, Fado yanked a (rather large) knife out of a sheathe on her hip. Link's eyes widened, backing up slowly when the Kokiri girl began to advance. "_Look,_ guy. I don't care who you are, where you come from, but _THESE SHROOMS ARE MINE!_" She thrust forward with the knife.

"Watch out!" Navi screamed. Link jumped sideways, narrowly dodging a stab in the stomach as he landed on his bottom.

The blue fairy began flittering around wildly. "Oh my gosh, fight, Link!"

Link stared at her in horror. "Are you crazy? I can't!"

"How am _I _crazy?! She's the one who tried _STABBING_ you!"

"But she's only a little girl!"

Navi paused. "... You're right, it's probably not worth all this for that potion, but..."

Link's eye twitched again. "YOU'RE MISSING THE POINT!"

The hysterical Fado cackled, running up to him, the hero scooting back on the grass frantically until his back collided with the forest wall. The girl snatched the pouch away from him and dangled it in front of his face. "Ahaha! Just who do you think makes the stalfos around here? All those impudent fools back then, going somewhere they weren't allowed at... I've stayed up nights on end protecting these woods! These shrooms are the only thing that keeps me going! Just _try_ getting them back, I dare you!"

Navi stared, unbelieving. "It can't be... so she..."

Link's eyes widened. He pointed at Fado. "You didn't... all those people... did you...?"

"You mean tickle their toes 'til they can't take it no' mo'?!" Fado giggled. "Of course I did! It was pleasurable! But it got boring so that's why I turned to the shrooms."

The fairy raised an eyebrow. "Wha? Then how did the stalfos pop up?"

Fado tilted her head. "Oh yes. After I tickle their toes, we have a nice little feast before I kick 'em out of the woods. The bones are the remains of the animal we hunted."

Link and Navi blinked. The blond looked at his fairy. "I don't get it."

She shrugged. "Yeah me either."

"Hey..."

The two shut up at the fourth voice. They, along with Fado, turned at the source to see the disgusting guy standing at one of the entryways to the woods. "Eh? Who are you guys?" He spotted Link. "Heeeeey! It's you, Mr. Nice Guy! Didja give the hag the mushroom?"

Fado twitched when she saw him. "I THOUGHT I KICKED YOU OUT ALREADY! WHY ARE YOU BACK!?"

He didn't reply, but instead went over to the stump he used to sit on. Bending over, he shuffled around the grass there for a bit before picking up a rectangle, metal thingamabob. Then he paused, just staring down at it.

Meanwhile Link had gotten up and wandered over to the disgusting guy. He looked over his shoulder. "What's that?"

"A tool, Mr. Nice Guy. You know, it's called a saw? It's sharp and carpenters use it to cut things and—"

Link waved his hands. "Okay okay, I know what it is!"

The disgusting guy sighed. "Why did I come back for this again? I don't even like it. It's disgusting and it reminds me of my disgusting family and—"

Link poked him, grinning sheepishly. "Can I have it then?" The guy shrugged and handed it to him. "Woohoo! Thanks!"

"No prob."

The two screamed when they saw a knife coming their direction. They ducked and it stuck to the wall behind them.

Fado started waving her arms, tears pouring out of her eyes. "Why does everybody ignore me?!" she sobbed. Navi coughed and muttered something incoherent. Fado pointed to the disgusting guy. "And you! You didn't answer my question! Why did you come back?"

"Because I missed you."

"... Wha?"

Link gasped, covering his mouth, then giggling out, "Ooh, revelation!" Navi stared at him.

Fado gasped too, covering her own mouth. "OH MY GOSH! I MISSED YOU TOO!" she threw another knife out of pure joy. It headed towards Link and missed him by a centimeter or two. He screamed when he noticed it beside him.

Navi would have fallen over if she wasn't in mid-air. "Gah, talk about delayed reaction..." she poked him. "Link, get out of here before that Fado girl throws _another _one! Hurry, run!"

Nodding, Link looked to the two. "Hey guys, thanks for everything and have fun without me! Bye!" Without another thought, he darted out of the Lost Woods, Navi right behind him.

Yet, Fado and the disgusting guy were too absorbed in their new-found love for each other to notice his escape.

**+ tBc . . . +**

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- naGami c.


End file.
